Conveyers



April 9, 1957 c. l.. HARPER 2,788,117

coNvEYERs Filed Sept. 14, 1954 3 Shegts-Sheet l v ATTORNEYS.

April 9, 1957 Filed Sept. 14, 1954 C. L. HARPER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR:

. ATTORNEYS.

April 9, 1957 c.'| HARPER 25788117 coNvEYERs Filed sept. 14, 1954- s-sheets-sheetfs #l I Z9 4:2 Z INVENToR:

y flesl. 40er, "Y E J A TTORNE YS.

CONVEYERS Charles L. Harper, West Chester, Pa.

Application September 14, 1954, Serial No. 455,837

4 Claims. (Cl. 198-173) This invention relates to conveyers. More especially, it is concerned with sprocket chain elevating conveyers of a portable type useful for example on farms to elevate loose or baled materials such as hay, straw, silage, etc. into bins, trucks, or barns.

The chief aim of my invention is to provide a conveyer of the kind referred to which is sturdy and strong and yet relatively light in weight and compact so as to be readily transported and maneuvered in setting it up, and which moreover is highly efficient from the standpoint of its capacity to move large quantities of materials in a short space of time.

Other objects and attendant advantages will appear from the following detailed description of the attached drawings, wherein:

Fig. l shows, in side elevation, a portable conveyer constructed in .accordance with my invention set up in readiness for use.

Fig. 2 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in broken out section, of the conveyer drawn to a larger scale.

Fig. 3 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2 showing the conveyer in top plan.

Fig. 4 shows, in elevation, the receiving end of the conveyer, i. e., as it appears when viewed from the left of Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in horizontal section taken as indicated by angled arrows V-V in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a cross section of the conveyer taken as indicated by angled arrows VI-VI in Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail section drawn to a still larger scale and taken as indicated by angled arrows VII-VII in Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a large scale perspective view of one of the specially designed flights of the sprocket chain ofthe conveyer.

As herein exemplified, my improved elevating conveyer comprises an elongate sheet metal trough 10 whereof the bottom portion 11 is relatively narrow and square U-shaped in cross section, and whereof the side walls are extended upwardly and outwardly at complemental angles as at 12. At the left hand or receiving end of the trough 10, the angular portions 12 of the side walls are further prolonged upwardly as at 13 tov form, in conjunction with a downwardly and inwardly sloped end Wall 14, a receiving hopper. Beneath the trough is a channel 1S which is likewise fashioned from sheet metal to square U-shaped cross section, and which is engaged upwardly over the bottom portion 11 of the trough as best seen in Fig. 6. It will be noted that the channel 15 is somewhat deeper than the bottom portion 11 of the trough 10, with consequent formation of a longitudinally-extending underlying hollow or tunnel 16.

The trough 10 and the channel 15 are composed in this instance of two aligned end-abutted components or units 16a and 10b. Welded or otherwise permanently axed to confronting ends of the units 10a and 10b nited States Patent O ICC are transversely-arranged reinforcing and connecting members 17 which are fashioned from angle bar stock, the face of one flange of each such member being flush with the crosswise edge of the unit to which it is affixed. From Fig. 6 it will be noted that the members 17 have portions which are sloped to conform with the angularly-disposed portions 12 of the side walls of the trough components of the units, vertical portions to conform with the side wall of the channel components of said units, and horizontal portions which extend crosswise of the bottoms of the channel components, the horizontal portions being V notched centrally as at 18 to clear longitudinal groove depressions 19 centrally in said channel components. By means of screw bolts 20, the abutting flanges of the reinforcing members 17 are rigidly secured together to firmly unite the units 10a and 10b in assembled relation. Generally similar reinforcing members 21 and 22 provided at the remote ends of the units 10a and 10b, these being of multi-partite construction. From Fig. 4 it will be noted that the member 21 has a cross bar 23 at the bottom to serve as a foot for supporting the conveyer at the receiving end, and from Fig. 2, that the member 22 extends below the channel 16 as at 24, the bottom of said channel being cut away as at 25 at the delivery end of the conveyer. As a consequence of this construction, it will be seen that the delivery end of the conveyer can be hooked over the side wall of a bin or over the sill of .a window as shown in Fig. l.

Iournalled in bearings 30 aixed to opposite side walls of the channel component of the trough unit 10a at the receiving end of the conveyer (Fig. 5) is a cross shaft 31 to which a sprocket wheel 32 is secured at the center; and journalled in bearing blocks 33 adjustable along guideways 34 at opposite sides of the channel component of the unit 10b adjacent the delivery or discharge end of the conveyer is a cross shaft 35 whereto is secured, at the center, a similar sprocket wheel 36. A chain 37 trained about the sprocket wheels 32 and 36 is provided at spaced intervals with flights 40 whereof one is separately illustrated in perspective in Fig. 8.

As shown, each flight 4t] has a transverse web 41 which is slightly curved forwardly in the direction of movement of the chain 37 indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2.

,. Except for having an upwardly projecting tapered tongue 42. at the center, angular depressions 43 in its top edge at opposite sides of said tongue, and a chain clearing notch 44 centrally of its bottom edge, the transverse web 41 of the flight 40 is oblong in configuration. Extendu ing rearwardly from the web 41, directly above the notch 44 is an integral tail prolongation 45 which is joined to said web by a buttressing brace web 46. The flights 40 are secured to special links 47 of the chain 37 by means of headed screw bolts 48 to the shanks of which, after being passed through holes in eye lugs 49 at opposite sides of said special links and correspondinglyspaced holes (Fig. 8) in the webs 41 of said flights, clamp nuts 50 are applied. It is to be particularly noted from Figs. 2 and 6, that the location of the sprocket wheels 32 and 36 is such that the upper run of the chain 37 is slidingly supported upon the bottom of the trough proper 15, and that the free edges of the transverse webs 41 of the flights 40 bear slidingly upon the bottom of the tunnel 16 with the tongues of said flights, cleared within the longitudinal central groove in the tunnel bottom. In this way, the chain 37 is effectively sustained against sagging under a load.

For driving the conveyer chain, l have provided means including an electric motor which is bolted fast to structural bars 56 and 57 secured crosswise of the member 21 at the feeding end of the conveyer. Aixed to the shaft of the motor is a pulley 58 which, by means of a belt 60 imparts rotary motion to a pulley 61 at one end of a transverse countershaft 62. The countershaft 62 is journalled in bearings `63 secured to the side walls of .the trough structure,and fast upon its other ,end .is a-.sprocket pinion65 which, through a chain 66 is connected `to a sprocket wheel'67 at the corresponding `end of the `shaft 31. The belt 60 is ofthe V type and the pulleys 58 .and 61 are shown as being .of the laterally adjustable ange .type for variation of their effective diameter Yand regulation of the speed of the conveyer chain 37.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided a .simple and .sturdy portable elevating conveyer. During operation of the ,conveyen the forwardly `curved tongues 42 of the ftlights 40 effectively `penetrate into the material placed into the 'hopper at the receiving end of Vthe trough 11 Ato vcarry along relativelylarge charges for .release at the delivery end of the'trough as the chain 37 rounds the sprocket wheel 36, in a manner readily understood. Sagging of the chain 37 is precluded since its upper run is slidingly supported on the bottom of the trough 15, and its lower run sustained as the flights 40 slidingly bear upon the bottom of the channel 16, with the tongues 4.2 cleared in the central longitudinal groove 19 in the channel bottom as best shown in Fig. 6. it .is to beparticularly noted from Figs. 2 and 6, that the tails 45 of the flights bear directly upon the chain 37 as the upper run thereof traverses the trough 11, said flights being thereby prevented from tilting under the weight pressure of the charges advanced by them. The conveyer of my invention is thus highly ecient in its operation from the standpoint of material displacement per unit of time.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An elevating conveyor for use in inclined or upright position, comprising an elongate trough having relatively spaced side walls converging downwardly toward each other; a ychannel extending longitudinally beneath the troughgan endless conveyor element having upstanding flights at spaced intervals; sprocket Wheels, about which the chain is trained, rotatively supported respectively `adjacent opposite ends of the trough and arranged `so that the upper run of the chain slidingly bears upon the bottom of the trough and the flights on the lower run slidingly `bear upon the bottom ofthe channel; powered transmission Imeans for driving one of the sprocket wheels; wherein each flight onthe chain has ya transverse `upright 'web with an upwardly Vand forwardly-extending tapered tongue at the center; and wherein the -channel kbottom is formed with -a longitudinal clearance groove for'the tongue projections of the flights on the conveyor chain, whereby said tongue projections are guided in `said groove on return `and the integrally connecting the tail with the transverse web.

4. A conveyor for bales of material such as hay, comprising an elongate trough having relatively spaced side walls converging downwardly at right angles to each other; a channel extending longitudinally beneath the trough; an endless conveyor element having upstanding flights at spaced intervals; sprocket wheels, about which the `chain is trained, rotatively supported `respectively adjacent opposite ends of 'the trough and arranged so that `the upper run of the chain slidingly bears upon the bottom of the trough and the flights on the `lower run slidingly bear upon the bottomof the channel; pow ered transmssionmeans for driving .one of the sprocket wheels; wherein each flight on'the chain has a transverse upright web with an upwardly and forwardly extending taperedltongue at the center; said tongue projecting above the line ofintersection of the projection of said side walls, whereby said conveyor side walls position and support said balesfor penetration by and movement with saidtongues; and' wherein the channel-bottom is formed with a longitudinal clearance groove for the tongue projections of the flights on the conveyor chain, whereby said tongue projections are guided in said groove on return to position the chaincentrally between the walls of the channel and'toprevent the ights from engaging said walls.

-tReferencesCited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 751,885 Webster Feb. 9, 1904 811,190 Webster Ian. 30, 1906 1,174,965 Brown Mar. 14, 1916 2,047,589 Levin July 14, 1936 2,420,085 Long etal May 6, 1947 2,446,472 Graf Aug. 3, 1948 2,446,660 Mulkey et al. Aug. 10, 1948 2,621,777 Tintes Dec. 16, 1952 2,644,570 Russell July 7, 1953 2,646,157 Belt July 21, 1953 2,682,945 Harrer et al .July 6, 1954 22,682,947 `Belt July 6, 1954 

